Indicator.



No. 790,178. PATENTED MAY 16,1905.

, E. s. BOYNTON.

INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. so. 1903.

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TRAtN LEZAV 55 a l oooqoooooe Q Q 0 Q 0 O 6 Q 0 O O G WITNESSES: INVENTOR 1 v ATTORNEY No. 790,178; PATENTED MAY 16, 1905. E. s. BOYNTON.

INDIGATORn APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 30. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.WITNESSES: 7, N OR PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.

E. S.IBOYNTON.

INDICATOR. APPLIGATION HLED DEC. a0. 1903.

' a SHEETS-SHEET a.

1 w INVEiVTOR I BY Maw ATTORNEY WIiNESSES No. 790.178. Patented May 16, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD STANLEY BOYNTON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WHEELER & WILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGE- PORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

INDICATOR.

' SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,178, dated. May 16, 1905.

Application filed December 30, 1903. Serial No. 187,212.

To 10/7/0777 i7? y 007110677411 The controlling and operating mechanisms Be-it known that I, EDWARD STANLEYBOYN- are arranged in a casing constructed of the 5 TON, acitizen of the United States, residing at top portion 1, the intermediate section 2, and Bridgeport,in the county of Fairfield and State the lower portion or 'door 3, and the ends 4- of Connecticut, have invented a certain new The portion 2 is divided centrally into two and useful Improvement in Indicators, of sections, in each of which is mounted anydewhich the following is a full, clear, and exsired number of horizontal slats 5,'ten being 55 act description. here shown. These slats are constructed in This invention relates to that class of indithe form of a square, Figs. 2 and 6; but it is IO cators which are adapted to display any one obvious that they may be of triangular form, or more of a number of signs and of which Fig. 5,or of any polyhedral form suitable to the combined railway-train tim'e'and station the requirements of the' information to be 60 directory used at most of thelarge railroaddisplayed. One face of the several slats of stations is an example. whatever shape must be left blank, and on I 5 The object of the invention isto automatthe other faces are placed the names of the ically control the movements of the signs so stations or such information as it is desired that only the individual signs which it is deto communicate. The sign-slats are journaled 5 sired to bring to view are exposed. in the sides of the casing, so that they may The invention is illustrated in a railwaybe turned through a predetermined portion train time and station directory having a seof a revolution in order to expose the desired ries of removable flat perforated keys, which information. because operating upon certain selecting de- 6 is a partition centrally located in the por- 7 vices after the manner of jacquard-cards are tion 2 and made in two sections, as shown in termed jacquard-keys and serve to con- Figs. 1 and 3. Centrally mounted in' the par- 2 5 trol the desired selection of signs, all as will tition 6 is a toothed rack 7 ,to the lower end be particularly described and claimed. of which is secured another but shorter see- In the accompanying drawings, illustrating tion of toothed rack 8, having its teeth dis- 75 the invention, in the several figures of which posed at right angles to the teeth on the rack like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 7. A pinion 9 meshes with the rack 8 to raise 0 is a front elevation, the parts in front of the and lower therack 7.

selecting-wires on the left and the parts in 10 isa key '(see Figs. 1, 2, and 3) to rotate front of the slats on the right being omitted. the pinion 9. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, partially As shown in Fig. 3, the rack 7 meshes with in section. Fig. 3 is a rear view, on a larger as many gear-wheels 11 (one only being shown) scale, of parts of the operating mechanism. as there are signs located in one-half of the Fig. 4. is a plan view of the movable keyportion 2, (see Fig. 1,) it being understood holder and the jacquard-key. Figs. 5 and Gare that in actual construction the section of por- .5 end elevations. showing,; respectively, triantion 2 at the left of the signs, Fig. 1, is progular and square forfns of sign-slats, together vided with like sign-slats.

with parts of the operating mechanism, the The inside end of each sign-slat is connected upper sign-slats-that is to say, those next to to the gearwheel 11 by a frictional bearing, the left-hand longer side of the sheet of drawcomprising a circular hole 12, cut in the end 9 ingsshowing the parts next the rack-bar of the sign-slat and over which is secured by and'the other slat in each figure showing in suitable screws a metal plate 13, in which dotted lines the far end construction. Fig. is loosely mounted ascrew-threaded stud- 7 is a longitudinal section and partial elevashaft 1 1. In' a recess in the plate 13 is fitted tion of the endof one slat and the frictiona ring 15, which confines beneathita frictiongearing and gear-wheel. I washer 16, preferably of felt, and on the opposite side of the plate 13 is a similar washer 17, against which bears a metal washer 18. Upon the shaft 14 is a thumb-nut 19. between which and the metal washer 18 is a spring 20. The washers 16 and 17 form a frictional contact against the plate 13, varying in tension according to the pressure of the thumb-nut 19 on the spring 20. The gear-wheels 11 are formed with long journals 21, which extend beyond the sides of the partition 6 and at their ends each is formed with an angular socket 22 to receive the corresponding journal end 23 of the shaft 14, so as to cause the two to turn together. Centrally secured on the opposite end of the sign is a journal 24, which enters a slot 25 in the side frame and is held in position by the latch 26.

As a finish to the portion 2, slats 27 (shown in Figs. 2 and 6 in cross-section) are placed between the signs.

Assuming that the signs are all in position to expose their blank faces and that the key 10 has been inserted in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it will be understood that by raising or lowering the rack 7, through the medium of the pinion 9 and rack 8, the signs will be caused to turn in their bearings by the action of the rack 7 on the gear-wheels 11 and their frictional connection with the signs. The mechanism which controls the downward movement of the rack 7 so that the several sign-slats may be appropriately rotated for bringing to view the desired information, is as follows: 28 and 29 are stirrup-like swinging stops, connected at their upper ends to the stationary stop 30 by a hinge-joint 31, which permits them to swing outwardly. Arms 32 and 33 extend out from the stops 28 and 29, respectively,to which by suitable hinge-join ts, as 34, are connected depending rods 35 and 36, provided at their lower ends with smaller sections 37 and 38, which extend through a perforated metal plate 39. The movable keyholder 40 (shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive,) carries the jacquard-key 41, and, as shown in Fig. 4,this key 41 has a number of circles indicated on it, and the position of the circles shown at 42 corresponds with the position of the depending rod-sections37 and 38. 1f holes are cut in the key 41 where these circles 42 are shown, the key will not lift the rod 35 or 36;-

but if there is no perforation of the jacquardkey then the arms will be lifted when the keyholder is' raised and will thereby cause the stops to swing out of the path of the rack 7. If it isintended to turn the sign through the full distance, both stops 28 and 29 must be operated; but if it is intended that the stop 29 only shall be operated upon then but one of the holes 42 (the one corresponding with the depending rod 35) should be open. Referring to Fig. 1, two diagonal bars 43 and 44 are shown secured in the two sections of the portion 2. Between these bars 43 and 44 are secured selecting-wires 45 of varying lengths and provided with portions 46, bent substantially in the form of a semicircle to engage pins 47 on the bars, the balance of the wire extending downwardly through holes in the plate 39 toward the key-holder 40. Holes 48 are cut in each of the diagonal bars, and the selecting-lingers 49 of the selecting-wires project through and are capable of moving freely up and down in said holes. The selectingwires, which are of different lengths, have their lower ends, as indicated by full lines, Fig. 2, and dotted lines, Fig. 3, in substantially the same plane as the free ends of the depending rods 35 and 36. On thejacqnardkey 41 at 50 is indicated a line of circles which correspond in position with the lower ends of the selecting-wires45. As in the case of rods 35 and 36, a wire will not act if there is a hole in the key at the circle corresponding with it; but when the key is solid the selectingwire will be forced upwardly and its selecting-finger will rise and stand in the path of rotation of the adjacent sign, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 5, and prevent the movement of the sign selected to stand still, while the other signs turn freely, the friction-gearing of the arrested sign turning while the sign itself is stationary. The movable key-holder (shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4) carrying the jacquard-key is raised or lowered through the medium of the lift-arms 51, the front ends of which are hinged to the door 3, their opposite ends being secured or hinged to ixtures 52, bolted to the lift-rods 53. These rods 53 slide up and down in ways in the bracket 54 and at their lower ends are bolted to the key-holder.

The operation is as follows: It is assumed as understood that an indicator has been manufactured for use in, for example, a railroadstation where there is a certain schedule of train departures or arrivals by one or a nu mber of roads and that the sign-slats have been prepared accordingly and the jacquard-key likewise prepared accordingly. A suitablyperforated jacquard key 41 having been placed in position on the movable key-holder 40 to effect the operation of the desired signs and no others, the door 3 is raised into closed position and locked. The selecting-wires have now raised the fingers or stops 49 into the path of the signs which are to remain blank, and the proper swinging stop 28 or 29 has been raised from the path of the downward movement of the rack 7. Where three sides of a quadrilateral sign are marked, there will be three stops, as in the drawings. Stop 29 if interposed in the path of descent of the rack will restrict the movement of the sign to one side, while if that stop be swung out of the way and stop 28 be exposed then the sign will be turned through two sides, and if stops 29 and 28 be turned out and stop 30 exposed then the sign may be turned to expose the third of the marked sides. The stop 30 being stationary limits theextent of descent of the rack. Now by inserting the key 10 and turning the pinion 9 the rack 7 will be moved downwardly such distance as it is allowed to travel by the stop interposed in its path, and thus turn the signs to bring the selected'sidc into position to be read. The stop 29 is provided with a lip or lug 29 which when in normal position rests against the stop 28, which in turn rests against a lug 3O on stop 30. The stop 29 is lifted independently of the stop 28; but when the stop 28 is lifted it carries the stop 29 with it. The stop 28 when in its normal position is prevented from turning backward by the lug of stop 30.

As many jacquard-keys as there are possible permutations of signs will be used to effeet the proper display of the signs.

WVhat I claim is- 1. In an indicator, frictionally-rotary signs in combination with a perforated movable key, and suitable connections between the signs and key, to control themovements of. said signs.

2. In an indicator, rotary signs, aperforated movable key, and a rack and pinion interposed between the signs and the key, in combination with stirrup-like swinging stops controlled by said movable key for limiting the movement of said rack. i

3. In an indicator, rotary signs, a perforated movable key, steps between said signs and key, and suitable connections between the signs and key, arranged and operating to arrest the movements of said signs.

4:. In an indicator, rotary signs, a reciprocating toothed rack, friction-gearing between the signs and rack, and means to permit rotation of some of said signs and restrain others.

"5. In an indicator, rotary signs, a toothed rack; means to reciprocate said rack, a stop to limit the extent of movement'of said rack, friction-gearing between the signs and rack, and means to permit rotation of some of said signs and restrain others.

6. In an indicator, rotary signs, a toothed rack, means to reciprocate said rack, a stop to limit the extent of movement of said rack, friction-gearing interposed between the signs and rack, a selecting-wire and stop for each sign, a jacquard key to control the movements of the selecting-wires, and a key-holder. 7. In an indicator, rotary signs, a toothed rack, means to reciprocate said rack, a stop to limit the extent of movement of said rack, friction-gearing interposed between the signs and rack, aselecting-wire and stop for each sign, a jacquard-key to control the move ments of the selecting-w'i res, and a key-holder, combined with a casing having a door, and connections between the door and key-holder to actuate the holder as the dooris opened and closed.

8. In an indicator, rotary signs, a toothed rack, means to reciprocate said rack longitudinally, a series of stops and means to interpose the stops individually in the path of Witnesses:

J. V. MEEKS, G. N, WORTHEN. 

